HRS § 78-9 - Failure to appear or testify, termination of employment

If any person subject to sections 78-8 to 78-11, after lawful notice or process, wilfully refuses or fails to appear before any court or judge, any legislative committee, or any officer, board, or commission, or having appeared refuses to testify or to answer any question regarding (1) the government, property or affairs of the State or of any political subdivision thereof, or (2) the person's qualifications for public office or employment, or (3) the qualifications of any officer or employee of the State or any political subdivision thereof, on the ground that the person's answer would tend to incriminate the person, or refuses to testify or to answer any such question without right, the person's term or tenure of office or employment shall terminate and the office or employment shall be vacant, and the person shall not be eligible to election or appointment to any office or employment under the State or any political subdivision thereof. To the extent that the State is without authority to require, under the constitution or laws of the United States, compliance by any public officer or public employee herewith, sections 78-8 to 78-11 shall not apply to the officer or employee, but the sections shall apply to the extent that they or any part thereof can lawfully be made applicable. [L 1951, c 177, §2; RL 1955, §5-4; HRS ; gen ch 1985; am L 2001, c 83, §3]